The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-05-07
PASTOR AND CONGREGATION.
BY REV. JAMES GoRToN.
Cedar Falls, Iowa.)

we SnOulQ onueaVOr TO make our pas
torates longer by making them wiser,
more vigorous, more efficient. Short
pastorates are unfortunate. 1t may be
very well for Mr.. Beecher to reply, in
felicitous irony, that ''short pastorates
are due chiefly to divine mercy" But,
if the pastor is man Of prudence and
peace; if he is wise and energetic; if he is
a free and growing man-all of which
he should strive earnestly TO be, and
without which he cannot be true
preacher or pastor, then he cannot stay
too long. The longer he stays the bet
ter it will be for him and for the par
ish. 1t is folly on the part of the
parish to permit such a man to leave
them. 1t is folly, If not wickedness to
send him away. 1t is calamity to the
parish to lose him. The longer such a
man stays the more useful he will be to
every interest of the parish, and of the
community, and the more respected,
honored and beloved. 1t may require
not merely months, but years, for any
new man to be able TO fill his place,
even though the new man were strong
and wise and true. The short pastor
ate, if it is poor pastorate, is calam-
ity if it is good pastorate, it is still
a calamity in that it was not longer.
The long pastorate, so that it be true
pastorate, is leverage of power, is a
necessary condition Of any large and
true and enduring success, is crown
of glory, and an inestimable blessing to
the church. In this regard, then, we
have need to endeavor, at least, to im-
prove the administration of our organ
lied churches.
We are doing this. Our ministers
are coming more and more to be esti-
mated, and to have their standing in
the denomination by their staying quail
tiles. And parishes are coming also to
be estimated by their disposition to
stick to man after they have employed
him, and not appearing in the divorce
court every year or so, with their eye
already on a new alliance, before separ-
alton is decreed or alimony granted.
Every wise pastor will resolve to
counsel with his people, to work har-
moniously with them, and that under
no circumstances, and by no possible
provocation will he divide his church,
or quarrel with his people, or with any
Iziaales Razaazs iRu bis aaEish4-H Ia viii
strive to bear himself among his people
at all times, and under all circum-
stances, with the prudence and cour-
tesy, the wisdom and dignity that be-
come his high vocation, and that beit
a kind-hearted and generous souled
Christian gentleman. These are all
important matters of administration.
And, then, being on the best and kind
est Of terms with his people, whether
he stays with them or departs, they
will ever be ready to receive his coun-
sci.
AS a question of administration, we
might ask, to what extent is it just to
estimate a preacher and pastor by the
condition in which he has left his par
ish, and by what he has accomplished
for the parish ? Has he left the parish
harmonious, hopeful, alive and at workP
What has he done for the parish Has
he made it stronger, or left it weaker
Has he done solid constructive work
Has he made good and enduring prog
ress in important directions, of which
he can give clear and definite account?
And shall we mark him accordingly in
our ministerial calendar, as builder,
or as divider and desolator
Our churches cannot have solid and
permanent success unless preacher and
people thoroughly believe we can have
it.. This is case where the demon of
weakness and failure cannot be cast
out without faith but surely can be
cast out with faith-not the dead faith
that does nothing-not the faith that
is content to ''stand still and see the
salvation of the Lord " but the clear
eyed, living faith, that has distinct
aim, wise plan, definite purpose,
systematic method, to which all hold,
by which all work, with beautiful and
unbroken unity, with a continuity of
endeavor that knows no break and no
WEAKNESS, on the part of either preacher
or people-that moves on with unbro-
ken and increasing strength through all
the months and years.
Is it not true that in many places
preacher and people, one or both, are
content to have failure where they
might have solid and permanent sue
cess, either because they have only
halfway faith in the possibility of
such a success, or because they lack the
energy, unity and definiteness of pur-
pose, and wise and generous liberality,
which would put in all the means, and
all the work that are indispensable to
this higher order Of success ? Is it not
as pre-eminently true here as in many
other quarters, that He that soweth
sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and
he that soweth bountifully shall reap